North Kingstown, R. I. – December 7, 1944

On the night of December 7, 1944, a flight of six F6F-5 Hellcat Aircraft took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station to practice night carrier landings on Quonset’s runways. After takeoff, Quonset tower instructed the aircraft to orbit the field two miles outside the designated landing circle to allow an incoming flight of airplanes to land. After that incoming flight was on the ground, Quonset tower gave clearance for the six Hellcats to begin their practice landings, but when the aircraft circled the field it was noticed that there were now only five airplanes instead of six. After ordering all five to land, an accounting was made, and it was discovered that one Hellcat, (Bu. No. 71036), piloted by Ensign Patrick Aloysius Hackett, age 22, was missing.

Shortly afterward another pilot reported seeing a fire in a wooded area of North Kingstown. State police found the wreckage of Ensign Hackett’s plane on Stooke Hill to the north of Route 138.

There had been no witnesses to the crash, and investigators speculated that the cause may have been due to engine failure.

Ensign Hackett is buried in Philadelphia National Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.